Pacific Coliseum
Pacific Coliseum is an indoor arena at Hastings Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. Completed in 1968 at the site of the Pacific National Exhibition, the arena currently holds 16,281 for ice hockey, though capacity at its opening was 15,569. The Coliseum is currently the home of the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League. The arena also hosts a variety of events and concerts. It has also been chosen as the venue for figure skating and short track speed skating in the 2010 Olympics. Other hockey tenants of the Pacific Coliseum have been the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL from 1970-1995 and the WHL from 1968 to 1970, the Vancouver Blazers of the WHA from 1973-1975 and the Vancouver Voodoo of the Roller Hockey International from 1994-1995. History Designed by W. K. Noppe in 1966–67, with its simple geometric shape and distinctive ring of white panels, the building can be classified as formalist architecture. Used initially as home to the WHL's Vancouver Canucks, the building was used to attract an NHL franchise in 1970 and a World Hockey Association franchise in 1973. The Coliseum underwent renovations and additions in the late 1970s, but its role as host of an NHL team and a main venue for events in Vancouver was lost with the building of GM Place in 1995. Recent renovations were completed in 2007 to upgrade seating and ice surface for its use as a venue for the 2010 Olympics. Events The Coliseum hosted its first NHL game on October 9, 1970. The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Canucks 3–1 in the Canucks NHL debut. The Kings' Bob Berry scored the first goal, with Barry Wilkins scoring the first goal for the Canucks. Its final NHL game was played May 27, 1995. Chris Chelios scored the arena's last NHL goal in overtime as the Chicago Blackhawks eliminated the Canucks in the Western Conference Semifinals. Roman Oksiuta scored the last Canucks goal. The 1982 and 1994 Stanley Cup Finals featured games at the Coliseum. On May 16, 1982, the New York Islanders beat the Canucks 3–1 and were awarded the Stanley Cup on Coliseum ice. All the seats at the Coliseum were full when the game ended, as people there could give both teams an ovation, though it ended a Canucks Cinderella run. On June 11, 1994, the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks met at the Coliseum in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Jeff Brown and Geoff Courtnall each scored twice as the Canucks won the game 4–1 to even the series at three games apiece. Canucks owner Arthur Griffiths called it "the greatest game ever played at Pacific Coliseum." However, they lost the series to New York by a 3–2 score in Game 7. There were fans watching on the big screen at the Coliseum. When the game ended, they gave both teams an ovation. The Coliseum also hosted the 1977 NHL All-Star Game. The Coliseum hosted Game 4 of the 1972 Summit Series on September 8, with the U.S.S.R. beating Canada 5–3. In a famous post-game interview, Phil Esposito gave an emotional response to the booing of the crowd that was broadcast on national television. The Pacific Colisieum was one of four arenas to play host to the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Memorial Cups laid out on each seat at the Pacific Coliseum prior to the 2007 Memorial Cup final.]] The Coliseum has hosted two Memorial Cup tournaments. The first tournament was held in 1977 when Stan Smyl and the New Westminster Bruins won their first Memorial Cup championship by defeating the Ottawa 67's, 6–5. Smyl would eventually have a successful 13 year NHL career playing with the Vancouver Canucks and at the Coliseum. In addition, his #12 was retired by the Canucks on November 3, 1991, at the Coliseum, where it hung in the rafters until being moved to GM Place in 1995. In 2006, the Giants were chosen to host the 2007 Memorial Cup Tournament from May 18–27. During this tournament the Coliseum surpassed the all-time Memorial Cup attendance record after only seven round-robin games with 91,808, and would eventually finish with a total attendance of 121,461. In the same tournament, the Vancouver Giants won the Memorial Cup championship by defeating the Medicine Hat Tigers, 3–1. External links *PNE.ca: Pacific Coliseum *Munsey & Suppes article on Pacific Coliseum }} Category:NHL arena Category:Former National Hockey League arena Category:World Hockey Association venues Category:Western Hockey League arenas Category:Indoor ice hockey venues in British Columbia